Cheese-cutter



L t e e h S .P t e e h S 2 m m MU SO ..E S WE E w a 0 M o W ,985. Patented Dec. 2, 1890.

WITNESSES:

me NORRIS PETERS ca, woman-N0 wAsumaYon, n c

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. W. SMITH.

v CHEESE CUTTER. No. 441,985. Patented Deo. 2, 1890.

WITH/E8858: llVVE/VTOH:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORSON VHITE SMITH, OF CI'IARLEVOIX, MICHIGAN.

CHEESE-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,985, dated December 2, 1890.

Application filed January 2, 1890- Serial No. 335,666. (No model.) 7

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORSON WHITE SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charle- VOlX, in the county of Charlevoix and State of Michigan, have in vented certain new and use ful Improvements in Cheese-Gutters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of cheese-cutters in which the knife is adapted to be operated by foot-power; and the object of the invention is to provide a device of this class in which the'cheese is adapted to be revolved and cut with the casing closed, thus fully protecting the same from cheese-flies and other insects.

A further object of the invention is to provide a system of gages designed to facilitate the cutting of a piece of cheese ot' the desired weight.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cheese-cutter of this character possessing advantages in point of simplicity, inexpensiveness, durability, and general effimoney.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ehecse-cutter embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 8 is a top or plan view with the top of the casing removed. Fig. 4. is a detail perspective view of the cheese-board. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of the knife, illustrating the manner of securing the same to the bars. Fig. 0 is an enlarged front elevation of the cheese and one of the gage-plates, and showing the operation of the latter. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the means for revolving the cheeseboard. Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the cutter, illustrating a modification.

Corresponding parts in the figures are denoted by the same letters of reference.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a casing consisting of a top and bottom a a, respectively, and the sides 0?, the latter being preferably formed of glass. At the front of the casing is provided a sliding screen door A, through which the cheese is inserted or removed. Upon the bottom a is mounted a rotatable cheese-board B, provided upon its under side with rollers Z). To effect the rotation of this board,it is also provided upon its under side with a circumferential racloplate 0, adapted to mesh with a pinion c, rigidly mounted on the inner end of a shaft 0, the latter projecting through the casing at one side, and is provided at its outer end with a crank-handle O. The top of the cheeseboard is beveled from its center to about midway between the same and the periphery, and also from the latter inwardly, thus forming in cross-section a fiat V-shaped groove at each side the center, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

D designates an approximately-U-shaped frame, projecting upwardly through the bot tom of the casing, one of the arms (I passing through the center of the cheese-board and forming the fulcrum therefor. The other arm cl projects up in front of the cheese-board and at the center of the front side of the easing. These arms are adapted to play in and be guided by tubes (1 (1 provided at their upper ends with flanges (1 d by which they are secured to the upper side of the bottom a. The upper ends of the arms (1 d are slotted, as shown at e, and within said slots are secured the ends of a removable knife E. The latter is retained in the slots by pins or screws e, passing through transverse perforations e in the ends of the arms and through perforations in the knife. The cutting-edge of the knife is formed V-shaped and corresponds with the groove in the board. By this construction the knife enters the cheese at an angle and renders the cutting of the cheese and the cloth covering more elfect-ive. The

cutting of the cheese is further facilitated by grooving the cheese board as above described. In this construction the cheese rests upon the board only at the center thereof and at its periphery, thus permitting the knife to pass entirely through the cheese.

For operating the knife a foot-lcver F is employed, hinged at one end and connected about centrally with the U-shaped frame. The operation will be obvious. To cut the cheese, the free end of the lever is pressed with the foot, drawing the frame down, carrying with it the knife, which enters and cuts the cheese as above described. A coil-spring F is disposed between the bottom of the casing and the curved portion of the frame, and is designed to exert its tension to return To enable the cutting of a piece of cheese.

of a desired weight, I have provideda system of measures G. The latter consists of two "series :of plates swungfrom the top of the casing and project down at each side of the knife, each seriesof plates being pivoted to arms 99, projecting from thetop of thecasing, and by means of this double series-of measures the cheese is adapted to be cut from either side, thus preventing drying of the sam e'from long exposure. The platesof each series correspond, and each pair of I plates has stamped or otherwise marked thereon at the top a certain weight and circumference of cheese, while at the lower edge isprovideda scale corresponding thereto, the latter showing the amount necessary to cut for a given weight. For example, if the cheese is-found to weigh twenty pounds and to be four feet in circumference, the plate of each seriesso marked or the one nearest approximating such measurement. is swung'downto avertical position to remain. until all the cheese is disposedof. The scale at thebottom of the-plates is graduated to show the necessary width at the peripheryof the cheese a piece ofthe latter mustbe to weigh a given amount. Thus to cuta piece ,of* cheese --of, say,-- one-pound weight,the knife is operated to cut agroove at one side of thecheese. The cheese is then turned in either direction untilthegroove registers with the one-pound mark on the respeetive plate, when the knife is again operated, cutting a piece the desired weight. (See J he operation and advantages of my invention will bereadily understood by those skilled incthe art to which itappertains Before the cheese is placedin the cabinet the weight and circumference isfirst ascertained. A holeis then made through the center of the cheese, the knife removed from the arm: d of the frame D, and the cheese 'placedin position upon the board. The measuring-plates at each side, marked with aco'rresponding weight and circumference, are then". exposed to-view, when the cabinet is in. readiness for To cut a piece of cheese of a given weight, the crank-hand1e isoperatedto turn the cheese in either direction until the latter coincides with the desired mark 011 the respective measuring-plate, when the foot-lever is pressed and the desired piece of cheese cut. The door is then opened and the cheese removed. It will thus be seen that the cabinet remains closed until the cheese is cut and ready for removal, protecting the cheese at all times from insects.

. In .Fig. 8 I have "illustrated a .modified method of operating the knife, in which a single flat bar S is employed in lieu of the two arms cl cl, said bar being vertically movable in suitable guides s s at the front'of the cabinet. To the upper end-of the bar S is rigidly secured-theknife E, -the latterprojecting inwardly over the cheese-boardand atrightangles to said bar: The barS is provided at its-lower end-with an inwardly-extending arm 8' at -rightangles .th'ereto,- and between said arm and thebottom ofthe casing is {disposed the coil-spring Ff, the offi'ce of which being "herei'nbefore described. To-the lower end of the bars-is connected the lever F, by which the-formeris operated. It will be; obvious that by theemployment of this form of knife-operating mechanism the necessity of first cutting a hole centrally through theicheese forthe passage of a second bar or arm is entirely obviated.

I claim as myinvention." r

1. The combination, with a rotatable cheeseboard, of an approximately-U-shaped springheld= frame formed in one piece, the arms ofwhich -.pass up through guides therefor,

one of said arms forming a. pivot for the cheese-board, a knife removably secured to the upper. ends of saidarms and provided with a V-shaped cuttiug-edge, and a foot-lever for operating the knife, substantially as set forth. I I

The comb.i1 1ation,-with -a;cheese-cutter comprising a rotatable cheese-board and a vertically adjustable knife, of gage-plates suspended at each side of the-latter and marked with a given weight and circumference of cheese 1 and witha weight-scale, said plates being'pivoted at their upper ends, whereby they are adapted to be swllngup to a horizontal :position and out of use,-substan tiallyas andfor'thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 11

ORSON \VHITE SMITH. \Vitnesses:

J J. HALLETT, GEo. SnERwooD. 

